This one-pot potato curry is super simple and easy to make. In fact, you can pull it off in under 30 minutes using only pantry ingredients. Serve it with a plain khichdi or masala khichdi, pulao or with roti for a quick, delicious meal. A vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free recipe.

Here's a totally delicious and exquisitely simple Potato Curry that goes perfectly with plain basmati rice or rice dishes like a khichdi. This is a recipe that's differently delicious and needs fewer ingredients than this fabulous and creamy Peas Potato Curry that so many of you love.
If you are someone who likes Indian food but finds it daunting to cook, it is good to dip your toe with recipes like this curry. It is foolproof, requires a minimum of ingredients, and you'll be so happy with yourself for cooking up the perfect meal, you might actually want to cook Indian recipes every day for the rest of your life! 😀
There is so much going on in this simple recipe: it's not only quick and easy, but it packs a walloping flavor punch. It's also very nutritious. This Potato Curry really delivers, flavor-wise, health-wise, and ease-of-making-it-wise. The aroma as it cooks will waft around your kitchen and house, bringing everyone running to the table. Let's get started.
Ingredients for Potato Curry
- Potatoes. Use a gold or red potato for this. Russet potatoes will work at a pinch, but russets are not ideal in curries because they break down too easily and get very floury, changing the texture of the curry.
- Onions: Red, yellow, any kind works. Use shallots if possible.
- Vegetable oil. Coconut oil is fine here, as is peanut or avocado oil.
- Cumin seeds. For deep, earthy fragrance.
- Mustard seeds: For a pop of pungent flavor.
- Curry leaves: These complement the south Indian flavors in this recipe.
- Ginger: For freshness and a zing of flavor.
- Garlic
- Turmeric powder. For color and health.
- Garam masala. Use a good homemade blend like the one I linked here, or a trusted store brand.
- Cayenne pepper or any red chili powder like paprika. For a fresh flavor use a green chilli instead, like a jalapeno or serrano pepper. Mince and add the chili peppers along with the herbs--the curry leaves, ginger and garlic.
- Cilantro (optional)
How to make the Potato Curry
- Start out by cutting 5 medium gold or red potatoes into a fairly small dice-- no bigger than half an inch. Crush a ½-inch piece of ginger and 3 cloves of garlic along with 1 teaspoon of cumin into a coarse paste with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat on the stovetop. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to sputter, add the onions and saute until translucent.
- Add the curry leaves along with the crushed cumin, ginger and garlic. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add the potatoes with the turmeric, garam masala and cayenne. Give it all a good stir, add two cups of water, and bring the curry to a boil.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the curry simmer 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. If you want your curry to thicken a bit, you can crush some of the potatoes with a ladle.
- Add salt to the aloo curry and garnish, if you wish, with cilantro. You can also add a squeeze of lemon for more flavor. Serve hot.
What to serve with the Potato Curry:
- This potato curry is especially delightful with the simple Instant Pot Khichdi, because its spiciness perfectly complements the rather plain khichdi. You can also serve it with plain white or brown basmati rice.
- Or serve it with a simple pulao, like this Eggplant Pulao,
- The curry also is great scooped up with an Indian flatbread, like a roti, vegan naan, paratha or poori.
Storage tips
This potato curry will keep nicely in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage, place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Related recipes
Potato Curry
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 5 medium potatoes (red or yellow potatoes, chopped into a ½-inch dice)
- 1 teaspoon oil (any neutral oil, including avocado oil, grape seed oil and sunflower oil).
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- ½ inch piece ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne (or any red pepper powder)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped, for garnish. Optional)
Instructions
- Crush a ½-inch piece of ginger and 3 cloves of garlic along with 1 teaspoon of cumin into a coarse paste with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to sputter, add the onions. Saute until the onion turns translucent.
- Add the curry leaves along with the crushed cumin, ginger and garlic. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add the potatoes along with the turmeric, garam masala and cayenne. Give it all a good stir, add two cups of water, and bring the curry to a boil.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the curry cook 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. If you want your curry to thicken a bit, you can crush some of the potatoes with a ladle.
- Add salt and garnish, if you wish, with cilantro. Serve hot.
Recipe notes
- Squeeze in a dash of lemon at the end of cooking for another layer of fresh flavor.
- You can make this a creamy curry by using a 14 oz can of coconut milk and ½ cup water instead of the two cups of water.
- This aloo curry is especially delightful with a khichdi. You can also serve it with rice or an Indian flatbread.
- The curry will keep nicely in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage, place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Jennifer
Hello! how much oil? thanks!
Vaishali
1 teaspoon!
Jenn
Thank you! It was delicious!
Emma
I tried this recipe this evening and it was delicious! Really quick and simple with great flavours!
Benny
I love how simple this recipe is. We made it last night and I served it with some brown rice. Everyone was polishing their plates. 🙂
Vaishali
So happy to hear! 🙂
Ruth Eisenbud
This looks delicious... with a perfect selection of spices... Hopefully I can make this in the near future... When I saw the picture, I was expecting tomatoes because the sauce is so read. Is it just the cayenne that is making it red?
Vaishali
Hi Ruth, it's all of the powdered spices. The color you get may vary based on the kind of pepper and garam masala you use, but it'll taste the same. 🙂 The garam masala I used for this also already had Kashmiri red chilis in it -- they add color without heat. You can use paprika to achieve a similar color.